Method of milking a dairy animal by means of a milking system

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a system and method of milking and feeding a dairy animal, wherein feed is dispensed in portions during the milking. At a predetermined moment the portion size is reduced, in order to increase the chance that the animal has actually eaten the last allocated portion at the moment when the milking has been ended, so that it will not hesitate to leave the milking parlor. This will result in a reduction of the time during which the milking parlor is unnecessarily occupied, and in an enhanced efficiency.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of PCT application numberPCT/NL2010/000138 filed on 28 Sep. 2010, which claims priority fromNetherlands application number 1037448 filed on 5 Nov. 2009. Bothapplications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of feeding and milking a dairyanimal by means of a milking system comprising a milking parlour with amilking device and a feeding device. More particularly, the inventionrelates to a feeding and milking method and system that reducesdispensed feed portions when a predetermined sub-phase of the milking isreached, prior to the ending of the milking.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional methods and systems for feeding and milking dairy animalshas been described in documents such as for example WO2005/092084,incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. WO2005/092084discloses a method and a system for feeding dairy animals in a milkingbox, wherein an estimated end time for the milking is determined, andwherein the feeding stops before said end time is reached. The object isto prevent that feed remains in the milking box after the milking itselfhas been ended, because the dairy animal would in that case occupy themilking box unnecessarily long.

WO2005/092084 thus recognizes the problem that a dairy animal is notalways willing to leave the stable in time. However, a disadvantage ofthe disclosed method and system is that it does not take unexpecteddeviations in a milking into account. If, for example in the period inwhich no more feed is dispensed, a situation occurs that prolongs themilking, such as kicking off of a teat cup, or a milk flow that onlyshowed a temporary decrease, the dairy animal is found to becomerestless.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims at improving the known method and device. Anobject of the present invention is to provide a method in which thecapacity of a milking system can be increased and in which restlessnessof a dairy animal can be prevented as much as possible. For thispurpose, the invention is characterized in that when a predeterminedsub-phase of the milking is reached, prior to the ending of the milking,the size of the dispensed feed portions is reduced. The insight withrespect to this invention is that feeding smaller portions results inthat the dairy animal will sooner have consumed them. As a resultthereof, the animal will stay in the milking box only very briefly, evenif the milking actually ends just after a feed portion has beendispensed. However, if the milking unexpectedly takes longer, the animalwill still be provided with feed in order to remain calm, although insmaller portions in order to prevent or to limit overfeeding. It ispointed out here that the portion size is of course greater than zero,in order to ensure the dispensing of portions.

The method according to the invention serves to milk a dairy animal bymeans of a milking system. The milking system is preferably an automaticmilking system, wherein a robot arm is provided for attaching a teatcup. The milking system comprises a milking parlour where the dairyanimal can be milked. The milking parlour may be provided with anentrance gate and an exit gate. Preferably, the entrance gate is openedfor the dairy animals during normal operation, in such a manner that thedairy animals are allowed to visit freely the milking parlour. However,a preselection may take place, wherein dairy animals are only allowedaccess if they will actually be milked. The milking system is furtherprovided with a milking device and a feeding device. When the dairyanimal presents itself at the milking parlour for a milking, the dairyanimal is identified according to the method. For identificationpurposes, each dairy animal may for example be provided with a collarwith a transponder disposed thereon. After identification it can bedecided whether or not a milking of the reporting animal is desirable.If a milking is desirable, the dairy animal is kept in the milkingparlour. This is possible, for example, by keeping the entrance gate andthe exit gate closed by means of a fencing. During the milking, feed isdispensed to the dairy animal by means of the feeding device. Thepresence of feed generally makes a dairy animal feel at ease in themilking parlour.

In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, thedispensing of feed is continued during the whole milking, but in smallerportions from a predetermined sub-phase thereof. The consumption of feedcan thus advantageously be better attuned to a length of time of amilking. By the improved adaptation, the chance that the dairy animalwill be willing to leave the milking parlour immediately at the endingof the milking can be considerably increased. The occupancy time peranimal of the automatic milking system can thus advantageously bereduced, so that the capacity of an automatic milking system for a herdof dairy animals can increase. Moreover, the steps of the method cangradually succeed one another in such a manner that the dairy animalremains calm, which contributes to the well-being of the dairy animal.Lack of feed during the milking can be prevented, so that restlessnessin the milking parlour can be avoided as much as possible. An additionalbonus effect of the invention is that most feed portions can have arelatively large size, which can in practice be achieved with thedesired accuracy in a simpler manner. For, if all the feed or at leastthe greater part thereof is dispensed in small portions, with aninherent poorer accuracy, the total amount to be dispensed will also bemetered less accurately. By dispensing the feed for the greater part inlarge portions according to the invention, which portions can be meteredto a high degree of accuracy, it will be possible to manage the totalfeed supply more accurately.

It is pointed out that WO96/05723, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety, discloses a method and system in which it canalso occur that the feeding rate is decreased. However, it is not clearhow this is achieved (fewer portions per unit of time, smaller portions,etcetera) and this document aims at providing a certain amount of feedas homogenously as possible. If the feeding period has to be prolonged,because for example the milking or treating time becomes longer thanpredicted, less feed should be dispensed in a longer period of time. Ofcourse, this could take place by reducing the portion size. However, thedisclosed method mentions nowhere the reaching of a predeterminedsub-phase of the milking, in order to reduce the feed portion sizesubsequently and in dependence thereon. On the contrary, if nounexpected prolongations occur, the feeding rate does not decrease here,which on the other hand does take place in the present invention, withthe advantage resulting therefrom. Another practical difference is thatthe known method and device aim at providing a predetermined amount offeed as uniformly as possible, in contrast with the present invention.In the present invention, in principle (although not necessarily) morefeed is dispensed if the end time becomes later, i.e. if the milkingtakes longer than estimated, and less feed is dispensed if the milkingtakes shorter. At least, the insight of the present invention is notdisclosed in WO96/05723.

In the method according to the present invention the milking-endingcriterion is monitored, in order to see whether the milking can beended, and that it is also monitored whether the sub-phase has beenreached. Moreover, the estimated end time is advantageously determineddynamically, i.e. is adjusted during the milking on the basis of one ormore measured parameters, such as development of the milk flow, fatpercentage of the milk, measured stress of the dairy animal, etcetera.It is thus possible to predict very accurately when the milking or totaltreatment will actually be ended, so that it will also be possible todetermine very accurately when switching to the feeding regime with thesmaller feed portions should take place.

In particular, an estimated end time for the milking is determined onthe basis of the milking-ending criterion. The end time is then, forexample, the moment when the presence of the dairy animal in the milkingbox is no longer required or desired. This is in particular the endingmoment of the milking, if necessary including all post-treatments suchas teat cleaning or disinfection etcetera. Also here, the milkingusually ends on the basis of a milking-ending criterion, for example afixed or animal-individual milking time, or a milk (milking) parameterwhich exceeds or comes below a threshold value. This will be set outbelow in further detail. In general, the situation is such that withsaid milking-ending criterion, as well as with general professionalknowledge about the dairy animal and/or with historical data, inparticular animal-individual historical data, the estimated end time canbe calculated. By way of example, the estimated milk yield for aspecific animal can be determined fairly accurately from the pastmilking interval, if desired corrected by the amount of feed consumed bythat animal in the past period of time. It can subsequently be checkedin the historical data what is the average (or estimated) associatedmilking time. The estimated end time can thus be determined. It shouldbe noted that historical data may relate to earlier lactations of thesame animal or of comparable animals, but for example also to earliermilkings of the animal in question in the same lactation, such as thepast X milkings, or a running average thereof. It is also possible todetermine the estimated end time of the milking on the basis of two ormore criteria which should be met. It is thus possible, for example, toprevent that the milking is wrongly ended.

Meeting the milking-ending criterion comprises in particular that themomentary milk flow comes below a first milk flow threshold value. Inpractice, the milk flow coming below a first threshold is an attractiveand frequently used criterion to determine the end of a milking. Themilk flow advantageously relates to the milk flow from the last teatthat is being milked or from the last two teats that are being milked.This enables a more accurate determination of the end time.

In particular, the milk flow, in total or from the last teat/teats,should come below the first milk flow threshold value during apredetermined milk flow threshold time. It is thus prevented that in thecase of an accidental dip in the milk flow, caused by whatever reason,the feed portion size will not already be adjusted unnecessarily.

With respect to the first milk flow threshold value for the milk flow itholds that it may be selected as a fixed one, or on a historical basisbecause the milk yield and for example also the milk flow size for ananimal species may vary during a lactation and between lactations.Advantageously, one or more of the milk flow threshold values areselected in an animal-individual manner. The same holds for the milkflow threshold time which may be selected in dependence on the animalspecies or the animal.

In another embodiment, meeting the milking-ending criterion comprisesthat the fat percentage of the milk, in particular from the last teatthat is being milked, exceeds a first threshold fat percentage. The fatpercentage of the momentarily yielded milk is another criterion that canbe used to calculate the end time of the milking, and be combined, ifdesired, with one or more additional criteria. This percentage risesrelatively strong at the end of the milking.

According to the invention, when a predetermined sub-phase is reached,prior to the ending of the milking, the size of the dispensed feedportions will be reduced. The sub-phase may, for example, be apredetermined percentage or part of the milking, so that the sub-phasebegins after said fixed part of the time until the estimated end time ofthe milking has elapsed. The fixed percentage may be, for example,between at least 70% and not more than 90%, in particular between 70%and not more than 80%, but preferably between 80% and not more than 90%.At these percentages, the dairy animal is completely provided with feedduring almost the whole milking, so that restlessness is avoided as muchas possible, while in the last phase, consequently after the sub-phasehas been reached, feed is still being dispensed, but so little perportion that to a high degree of probability the feed will have beenconsumed substantially completely at the moment of ending the milking,so that the dairy animal will quickly leave the milking parlour. Thepercentage may be established per individual animal, for example on thebasis of historical data, in particular with respect to eating rate.

Alternatively, the sub-phase may begin at a predetermined period of timepreceding the end time. Said period of time then corresponds for exampleto the time the animal needs to consume a (whether or not last)dispensed portion of feed. Said predetermined period of time may, ifdesired, be selected in an animal-individual manner, for example on thebasis of historical data, or dynamically on the basis of the currenteating rate of the animal.

Both in the case that the sub-phase begins when a percentage of the timeuntil the estimated end time is reached, and in the case that thesub-phase begins at a period of time preceding the moment when theestimated end time is reached, a possible dawdling time can be takeninto account. This means that the animal waits a moment before leavingthe milking box, even when there is no more feed available. Althoughthis time is almost zero for a lot of dairy animals, it can benon-negligible for some animals.

In one embodiment, the sub-phase begins when the milk flow, in total orfrom the last teat/teats, comes below a second milk flow thresholdvalue. In particular, said second milk flow threshold value can beselected in such a manner that this criterion is less strict than themilking-ending criterion, so that it is also ensured that the reductionof the feed portions takes place prior to the ending of the milking. Inparticular, the milking-ending criterion is of the same type, more inparticular wherein meeting the milking-ending criterion comprises thatthe momentary milk flow, in particular the milk flow from the last teatthat is being milked or from the last two teats that are being milked,comes below a first milk flow threshold value, in particular during amilk flow threshold time, and the second milk flow threshold value ishigher than the first milk flow threshold value. It should be notedthat, also in this case, it is possible to look at a teat, a group ofteats or a total milk flow.

The sub-phase advantageously begins when the fat percentage of the milk,in particular from the last teat that is being milked, exceeds a secondthreshold fat percentage. In particular, the milking-ending criterion isselected such that the fat percentage of the milk, in particular of themilk from the last teat that is being milked, exceeds a first thresholdfat percentage, and the second threshold fat percentage is lower thanthe first threshold fat percentage. The first and/or the secondthreshold fat percentage is advantageously selected in ananimal-individual manner, optionally on the basis of historical data. Inparticular for dairy cows, the feed portion size is adjusted when a fatpercentage of between 4.5% and 5.5%, in particular between 3.5% and4.5%, is reached, and the milking is ended if the fat percentage stillrises for example between 0.5% and 1%, although these numbers may beselected differently for other animal species, or special dairy animalbreeds. In an embodiment of the method according to the invention, thefeed portion size is adjusted after a predetermined relative fatpercentage of the yielded milk has been reached. The fat percentage canbe measured during the milking. A control signal for adjusting the feedsupply can be issued at the moment when the relative fat percentageexceeds a preset change, such as a predetermined part of ananimal-individual threshold or a change per unit of time. By controllingthe supply of feed in dependence on a fat percentage of yielded milk, areliable and accurate prediction of the remaining time until the dairyanimal leaves the milking parlour can advantageously be obtained. Animproved adaptation of the feeding time can thus advantageously beachieved, so that a dairy animal will quickly leave the milking parlourafter the milking has been ended.

In a further embodiment, dispensing feed in a plurality of feed portionsduring the milking is divided into at least three successivepredetermined sub-phases, wherein the feed portion size in each latersub-phase is smaller than in each preceding sub-phase. In this manner,the feed portion size can be reduced more and more towards the end ofthe milking, i.e. in each case when a next, predetermined sub-phase isreached. It is thus possible to prevent even better that the animal isstill eating at the end time, while, moreover, the total feed supply canbe metered to a high degree of accuracy. It is pointed out that in otherembodiments the feed portion size could, if desired, also increase to apreviously adopted initial value, in particular the initial value. Thiscould, for example, occur if the milk flow collapses without the actualend of the milking approaching. This is for example a property of aspecific dairy animal, or is caused by external factors such as a teatcup being kicked off, stress, etcetera. In that case, according to themethod, the feed portion size per se can actually be reduced when thepredetermined sub-phase has begun, while, when the criterion forreaching the sub-phase is no longer met, the feed portion size is resetto its initial size.

In the present invention, the total amount of feed to be provided is inprinciple free to some extent, i.e. more or less feed than the feedbalance can be provided, according to whether or not the end timechanges. However, this can be prevented by adjusting the period of timebetween the separate portions accordingly. It is thus possible still toprovide in total the exact feed balance. It is also possible to make theperiod of time between feed portions dependent on the eating rate of theanimal. For example, a new portion is only dispensed when the previousone has been eaten to some extent or totally. The present inventionstill provides advantages, due to the fact that, in the case of smallerportions, said eating time per portion is shorter.

In particular, the smaller feed portion size in the predeterminedsub-phase, or in any later sub-phase, is not more than half of the feedportion size in the preceding phase, the immediately preceding phase,respectively. In practice, a favourable portion size for the first phasecan be between for example 200 grams and 2 kg. A favourable smallerportion size in the predetermined sub-phase, the later phase,respectively, is for example between 50 grams and 200 grams.

In a particular embodiment, the method according to the invention isimplemented in an automatic milking system, such as the known LelyAstronaut™. The automatic milking system may comprise a robot arm forattaching at least two, in particular four, teat cups. The invention mayalso be implemented in other, for example non-automatic orsemi-automatic milking systems, such as a carrousel or herringbonesystem. In this case, milking clusters are attached manually (orsometimes (semi)automatically). Nevertheless, also here the advantage ofreducing unnecessary occupancy is provided.

The invention further relates to a milking system for milking a dairyanimal. The milking system comprises a milking parlour, for exampleprovided with an entrance gate and an exit gate, for keeping a dairyanimal. The entrance and exit gate may for example be provided with acontrolled fencing. All this is not strictly necessary, and the systemmay also comprise a carrousel system or the like.

The milking system further comprises an identification system foridentifying a dairy animal that presents itself for a milking. Themilking system has a milking device for milking the dairy animal and afeeding device for dispensing feed to a dairy animal in the milkingparlour. The milking system comprises a control device, wherein thecontrol device is configured to control the milking device to milk adairy animal, if desired, and to control the feeding device for feedingthe dairy animal.

The milking system according to the invention is characterized in thatthe control device is further configured to carry out the methodaccording to the invention. For this purpose, the control device isconfigured to monitor a predetermined milking-ending criterion, tomonitor the reaching of a predetermined sub-phase of the milking, and toreduce the feed portion size when said sub-phase is reached. Ifnecessary, the milking system may comprise a measuring device formeasuring a milking parameter, on the basis of the value of which themilking-ending criterion can be monitored and/or the reaching of thesub-phase can be monitored. As an example of such a measuring device amilk flow meter is mentioned here, but any other measuring device for amilk (milking) quantity already mentioned above or used in the state ofthe art for assessing the milking can also be used within the scope ofthe invention.

In a particular embodiment, the milking system comprises an automaticmilking device with a milking parlour, also called a milking box, and arobot arm for attaching teat cups, wherein, without human intervention,an animal can be admitted, if desired (locally) cleaned, and milked. Anexample of such an automatic milking system is the known LelyAstronaut™, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

In an embodiment of the milking system according to the invention, themilking parameter relates to an estimated end time of the milking. Forthe sake of convenience, in practice the estimated end time, i.e. apoint of time, can be converted into a planned time of stay in themilking parlour, and vice versa.

In an embodiment of the milking system according to the invention, thefeeding device comprises a metering device for dispensing feed inmetered portions. From the metering device feed is supplied to a feedtrough. The feeding device may comprise a metering device which isconfigured to dispense a portion of feed which is fixed for a period oftime. A feed balance can, for example, be dispensed in portions of 200grams. In embodiments, the feeding device comprises a metering devicewhich is configured to dispense feed in a variable metered portion. Thismakes it possible for the metering device to dispense feed at a variablemetering speed following the reception of a corresponding signal, forexample when the predetermined sub-phase is reached. By dispensing lessfeed per unit of time in an end phase of the feeding time, it can bepromoted that a dairy animal will quickly leave the milking parlour atthe end of the milking, because there is no more feed left.

In an embodiment, the milking system according to the invention has ateat cleaning device for cleaning at least one teat. The control devicemay further be configured to put the teat cleaning device into operationin order to clean a teat of the dairy animal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the invention will be appreciated uponreference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the method according to the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The following is a description of certain embodiments of the invention,given by way of example only and with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1shows in a flowchart successive steps of the method according to theinvention. In a first step 1 of the method according to the invention, adairy animal is identified. On the basis of the identification a controldevice can decide whether or not the dairy animal should be milked. Ifthe dairy animal should be milked, the dairy animal is arranged in amilking parlour and a milking can start.

Furthermore, on the basis of the animal identification, historicalinformation can be retrieved, such as information with respect to amilking duration which is typical for that animal, associated with themilking interval elapsed, optionally corrected for the feed eaten inthat period. Information regarding a (running) average fat percentage,an average change therein during a milking, etcetera, can also beretrieved or read. The control device can then calculate when themilking is expected to be ended, and both monitor and/or calculate themilking-ending criterion, and monitor the reaching of the sub-phase. Thecontrol device can, in a general sense, further be configured to monitordynamically the criterion, the sub-phase(s), respectively, i.e. if dueto any circumstance the estimated end time will for example be later,this will also be processed in the control. As an example may serve thesituation in which a teat cup is kicked off, with a milking end timecalculated prior to the actual milking, and a sub-phase that begins 1minute before said end time. By reattaching the teat cup, preceded by ateat and/or teat cup cleaning if desired, and by restarting the milking,the total milking may take longer. As a result thereof, thepredetermined sub-phase will probably also begin at a later point oftime. The control device is then preferably configured to process allthis dynamically.

It is pointed out here that the components of the milking systemaccording to the invention, as to their external aspects, do not differessentially from components known in the state of the art, for examplecomprising a milking box with controlled gates, a robot arm, teat cups,feeding device, etcetera, so that a more detailed description isomitted, with reference to general professional knowledge.

Step 2 a refers to the beginning of the milking. The milking may, forexample, start with a teat cleaning treatment. Subsequently a milkingcan be carried out and the milking can be ended with a post-treatment ofthe udder. Consequently, the term “milking” comprises here more thanmerely the milking proper, viz. also a pre- and post-treatment, althoughthis is not necessary.

During the milking the dairy animal is fed in the milking parlour. Step2 b relates to the beginning of the feeding. From the control device asignal to dispense feed can be transmitted to a feeding device. Thedispensing of feed can coincide with the beginning of the milking, butalso at another moment if desired. It may in particular be advantageousto start feeding as soon as any action is carried out for which it is ofimportance that the animal is as immobile as possible, such as teatcleaning Step 3 in the flowchart relates to changing the feed portionsize, when the predetermined sub-phase is reached, which sub-phasebegins before the milking has been ended. The milking stops, accordingto the method, in a later step 4. Subsequently, the dairy animal willsoon leave the milking parlour in a next step 5, because then no morefeed is left.

In addition to the embodiments shown, various variants are possiblewithout thereby departing from the scope of protection, such as isdefined in the enclosed claims. In a variant of the embodiment shown, asalready indicated above, the dispensing of feed can begin, for example,soon after the milking has begun.

According to the invention, there is thus provided a method of milking adairy animal in a milking parlour, wherein the dispensing of feed can becontrolled in such a manner that the time spent by the animal in themilking parlour is hardly or not subject to dawdling of a dairy animalafter a milking, because remaining feed is still being consumed. Thecapacity of an automatic milking system for milking a group of dairyanimals can thus advantageously be increased. Moreover, by optimizingthe feed supply, the dairy animals can be prevented from becomingrestless during the milking.

Further modifications in addition to those described above may be madeto the structures and techniques described herein without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, although specificembodiments have been described, these are examples only and are notlimiting upon the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of feeding and milking a dairy animal bya milking system, wherein the milking system comprises a milking parlourwith a milking device and a feeding device, the method comprising:identifying an individual dairy animal that presents itself at themilking parlour for a milking; milking the dairy animal in the milkingparlour, wherein the milking is ended when a predeterminedmilking-ending criterion is met; dispensing feed to the dairy animal ina plurality of feed portions with the aid of the feeding device duringthe milking, wherein, when a predetermined sub-phase of the milking isreached prior to the end of milking the dairy animal, the feed portionsbeing dispensed are reduced in size to an amount greater than zero. 2.The method according to claim 1, wherein an estimated end time for themilking is determined on the basis of the milking-ending criterion. 3.The method according to claim 2, wherein the milk-ending criterion is atleast one of: historical data and historical data per individual animal.4. The method according to claim 1, wherein meeting the milking-endingcriterion comprises that the momentary milk flow comes below a firstmilk flow threshold value.
 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein amomentary milk flow is the milk flow from the last teat that is beingmilked or from the last two teats that are being milked.
 6. The methodaccording to claim 4, wherein the momentary milk flow comes below thefirst milk flow threshold value during a milk flow threshold time. 7.The method according to claim 1, wherein meeting the milking-endingcriterion comprises that a fat percentage of the milk exceeds a firstthreshold fat percentage.
 8. The method according to claim 7, whereinthe fat percentage of the milk is of milk from the last teat beingmilked.
 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predeterminedsub-phase begins either at a predetermined period of time preceding theend time, or at a predetermined percentage of the length of the milking.10. The method according to claim 4, wherein the sub-phase begins whenthe milk flow, from all the teats or from either the last teat or lastteats, comes below a second milk flow threshold value.
 11. The methodaccording to claim 10, wherein the second milk flow threshold value ishigher than the first milk flow threshold value.
 12. The methodaccording to claim 7, wherein the sub-phase begins when the fatpercentage of the milk exceeds a second threshold fat percentage. 13.The method according to claim 12, wherein the fat percentage is of themilk from the last teat that is being milked.
 14. The method accordingto claim 12, wherein the second threshold fat percentage is lower thanthe first threshold fat percentage.
 15. The method according to claim 1,wherein dispensing feed in a plurality of feed portions during themilking is divided into at least three successive predeterminedsub-phases, and wherein the feed portion size in each later sub-phase issmaller than in each preceding sub-phase.
 16. A milking system formilking a dairy animal, comprising a milking parlour for keeping a dairyanimal, an identification system for identifying a dairy animal thatpresents itself for a milking; a milking device for milking the dairyanimal; a feeding device for dispensing feed to the dairy animal in themilking parlour; a control device, wherein the control device isconfigured to control the milking device for milking a dairy animal, andcontrol the feeding device for feeding the dairy animal; wherein thecontrol device controls the feeding device to dispense feed portionsthat are reduced in size to an amount greater than zero when apredetermined sub-phase of the milking is reached prior to the end ofmilking the diary animal.